Samsung Galaxy S3 review

In a nutshell:The Samsung Galaxy S3 is Samsung's flagship phone for 2012. With an enormous HD screen, a superfast quad-core processor, the latest Android 4.0 software, voice recognition, advanced photo & video capabilities and a monster-sized battery, it's way out in front of the competition.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 was launched on 3 May 2012 at a glitzy event in London and has taken over from the Galaxy S2 as the most successful Android phone ever. Our readers voted it Mobile Phone of the Year 2012 by a huge margin.

Headline features include the 4.8" HD Super AMOLED screen, the quad-core processor, and the new S Voice voice-control feature. These clearly mark out how the S3's technology has moved forward in the year since the release of the S2, but there are a host of other features included that will all help to make the S3 a better phone.

The first thing you notice about the Galaxy S3 is its size. It's not a small phone. It's *&%! enormous! Only the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is bigger. The iPhone 5 looks dinky by comparison. But it's big for a reason, and that reason is the 4.8 inch HD screen. This is the S3's number-one selling point in our opinion. If you use your smartphone less for making calls and more for web browsing, keeping up with facebook, playing games, taking photos and watching videos, then it's all about the screen. And the S3 is the king of screens (apart from the Note - buy one of those if the S3 isn't big enough for you.) The screen isn't just big - it's also HD and uses Super AMOLED technology to make it bright and visible even on a sunny summer's day (remember them?). Now, the Galaxy S2 used Super AMOLED Plus technology, so it's a teensy-weensy bit disappointing that the S3 doesn't. But the pixel density has been ramped up by about 50% to match the iPhone's Retina display, so we've no real reason to complain.

Hey - did someone mention the iPhone? A gulf has opened up now between the iPhone's paltry 4 inch screen and the 4.8 inches of this latest Samsung. Experience the S3's super-sized screen and you'll be loathe to go back.

Although it's long and wide, the S3 is extremely slim - just 8.6mm, which seems impossibly slim for such a device. And it has a new curvy design with rounded corners. You won't mistake it for the S2, particularly since it comes in a choice of blue or white colours.

Embedded in the heart of the S3 is a 1.4GHz quad-core processor, the first quad-core in a Samsung phone, which enables fast multi-tasking, zero-lag photography and super-smooth HD video and games. With a full 1GB of RAM and up to 64GB of built-in memory, there's nothing to frustrate the potential of the processor. In addition you can add a further 32GB of memory via the microSD card slot, and Samsung are giving two years' 50GB free Dropbox cloud storage too.

The S3 runs the Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 flavour of Android, with an update to 4.1 Jelly Bean, plus Samsung's TouchWiz user interface, which has been tried and tested on many Samsung phones over the years. But the S3 has many new features built into the user interface. Samsung seem to be taking a lead from Apple's Siri voice recognition tool here. "S Voice" is an advanced voice recognition system that lets you give commands to your phone to turn the alarm to snooze, activate the camera and answer a call. S Voice won't talk back to you like Siri, but you can get on-screen confirmation when needed. Another feature is "Direct Call", which automatically switches from messaging to place a voice call to someone if you lift the phone to your ear. "Smart Stay" uses the front-facing camera to sense when you are looking at the phone and keep the display from going dark. The camera interface has all sorts of social features that let you tag faces and sort your pictures according to who's in them. We don't know if these features are going to transform the way we use our phones. They feel like the beginning of a transformation that may come about in a few years' time when the technology has developed further. But you can see that smartphones are evolving from clever phones into all-round personal assistants.

The camera on the S3 is basically the same as on the S2. It's not going to grab much attention in the press, but for the user it works very well, taking 8 megapixel still shots and full 1080p HD video. A secondary front-facing video camera is available for making HD video calls. The quad-core processor means that there's no visible lag in using the camera. Burst mode lets you take 8 shots and the camera chooses the best (based on smile & blink detection, contrast and blurring), so there's no more excuse for blurry shots of people with their eyes closed. And like the HTC One X, you can take still shots while shooting HD video.

The media player works brilliantly on the S3, with the quad-core processor helping to push HD videos along without any jerkiness. You can mirror your screen on a large-screen TV wirelessly too.

Another improvement in the Galaxy S3, which hasn't grabbed any headlines, but which could prove to be very significant, is the upgraded 2100mAh battery. This compares with the 1650mAh battery on the S2. Only time will tell whether the demands of the big screen and quad-core processor can be satisfied by this battery, but experience with the Galaxy Nexus, which has the same size screen and a 1750mAh battery indicates that the S3's battery life will be at least as good as the S2's.

The Galaxy S3 seems to us to be a worthy successor to the S2. It takes everything that made the S2 such a success, and makes its key features even better. For us, it's all about the HD screen and the quad-core processor. The bigger battery is also very welcome. But the many improvements to the user interface also add to the all-round capabilities of the phone. It seems to be a better package that even the HTC One X, which is technically it's closest competitor. And as for the iPhone - the S3 is practically out there on a different plane entirely. We see the market polarising even more between iPhone users craving ease of use and Android users enjoying sheer power & capability - which the S3 delivers by the bucketload.

Samsung Galaxy S3 user reviews

Love this product? Hate it? Please share your experiences to help other people choose the product that's best for them. Please do not review this product if you have not used it. This is a review site, not a forum, so please don't just ask questions. Please do not use swear words or offensive language, and please, no advertising!

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Average rating from 100 reviews:

Reviewed by Bethan
from Wales
on 19th Mar 2015
Very pleased till it was 20 months old. Battery would not hold
charge, replaced with same problem. Sent for repair, cause
"liquid damage". It has never come into contact with liquid. Response from network provider. Condensation caused by
plastic case and in some instances caused by body heat when holding
phone to the ear. I look after my phone, case at all times
etc. As a Samsung phone user for over 10 years I will NEVER
purchase their product again. Did not there is no cover for the
charging port. Samsung declined to comment if this could be an
issue. Camera and phone good but appears to have a design
fault.Rating:

Reviewed by Nimita
from India
on 18th Feb 2015
Samsung galaxy s3 has been designed with many more features that
enables it to go beyond smart and fulfil the needs of the user by
thinking as the user thinks and act as the user acts. In fact, it has
been designed for humans and it will be with you just like a faithful
and trustworthy friend. For more detailed features you can refer
Samsung INDIA SITE.Rating:

Reviewed by Konrad
from UK
on 3rd Jan 2015
Further to my 2 earlier reports plus updates, having owned the phone
over 16 months, I have found a serious issue with slow charging, plus
the fix - the USB cable!

My SG3 was taking a long time to
change and my other phone a Nokia was charging in a fraction of the
time. Then last night I put them both on charge, SG3 had 15%
remaining. The Nokia was charged within a couple of hours, the SG3
barely got to 40%. Turn off and left over night and only 60%.

Went on the net and searched the solution which points to the
USB cable. The pins recede so a pin can be used to tease the pins out.
Easier to get a replacement cable. Also the socket of the phone needs
to be carefully cleaned to aid connection.

As I speak the
phone is using a Nokia charger which has the same rating, and the
phone is nearly fully charged within the hour!

Do these
simple and cheap checks before condemning the phone, or doing
something drastic and unnecessary, like routing the phone.

Still a good phone.Rating:

Reviewed by Vivienne
from nI
on 27th Nov 2014
My samsung galaxy 3 is amazing up until now when my messages will not
send to my daughters mobiles I can only phone what apps them so
frustrating as nothing different happened my phoneRating:

Reviewed by NCR
from UK
on 13th Oct 2014
Recently got hold of the I9305 LTE (4G) version of the Galaxy S3 and
have found it to be an excellent smart phone. It compares very
favourably to this years phone crop with 2gb RAM, 16gb internal memory
and Micro SD card slot as well as the 720P 4.8" screen.

In the 3 weeks that I've been using the phone it has been fast and
very smooth when flicking through menus, photo albums and
uploading/downloading via WiFi and 4G. I haven't had any issues with
Touchwiz, something that previously had put me off owning a Samsung
handset.

It is an excellent phone, but deducting 1 star
as the screen is somewhat muted and doesn't pop like the Sony's with
their Bravia engine or iPhone's retina display.

I can
highly recommend the LTE version of this phone,it still competes with
mid-high spec phones of today.Rating:

Reviewed by Stretch
from Sutton Coldfield
on 29th Apr 2014
I have owned this hyped up excuse for a smart phone for about 6
months, and is the first real smart phone that Iíve owned. If
this phone is supposed to be at the top end of Samsungís smart
phones, then the rest must be pretty poor!

I donít
understand how this phone can be rated as outstanding or how genuine
users can give this phone 5*

If you are a business user,
think long and hard before buying this phone!

Poor
Battery Life:

So what is the point in having so called
flashy screens and lots of apps etc. if you canít use them! Be warned you will be lucky to get a day out of the battery.

As an example Iím a small business owner on a 600 minute
monthly contract, and never go over. Iím careful to shut down
running apps and I only turn the Wi-Fi on when I need it, usually in
the house. I only run the screen at about 75% brightness and I barely
get a day from a full charge. If you are a serious business user,
forget this phone unless you want to be permanently connected to a
power supply.

Screen Colours:

Did Samsung
ever take this phone outside and make a call during the development
stage? I doubt it! Because if they did, they would have realised
itís almost impossible to read the screen in even average
daylight. In full sunshine or on the beach, forget it! Who at Samsung
decided that a black screen with greyish text would be a good idea! Do
they not know that the screen turns virtually black when daylight hits
it? All of the regularly used screens are mainly made up of a
black background, with dark blue keys and greyish text. Including the
main phone keypad, the call logs, favourites screen, contracts screen,
text screen and web browser. Meaning most of the phone functions are
impossible to use in daylight.

S Voice
non-recognition:

This app just does not work. Even
without any back ground noise it struggles to understand what you are
saying, even in a Brummie accent. So if you are planning on using it
outside, or in a car with the engine running with any sort of hands
free kit Ė Forget It.

Call dropping, lagging and
random shut downs:

As if all of the above is not reason
enough to give this phone a miss. Be prepared for the phone to drop
calls, suffer lagging issues, and random shut downs including locking,
requiring a battery removal to trigger a reboot.

Iím not going to comment on the phones other issues, such as the
ring and notification tones being too quiet or that it is to big to
hold and operate with one hand. as I feel if it canít fulfil the
basics what is the point of having the phone?Rating:

Reviewed by Shannon Grace
from Derbyshire
on 10th Mar 2014
I got this phone just 6 weeks ago know. I am very happy with the
battery life as I use my phone day In day out. The colour quality on
this phone is amazing and the sound on it is amazing too. I had a
samsung s2 and broke that a year ago but I loved that to. Then went
and tried the iphone 4s and I didn't get on with it. This phone is
outstanding and i love it.Rating:

Reviewed by Konrad
from UK
on 8th Jan 2014
Update on my previous reviews. I can say that the phone has
worked very well, and the battery life is holding to 2 days average
use. I have had to do a bit of "house work" to clear out apps I don't
use. I am also avoiding updating to Samsung 4.3 firmware. I had
read reports in various forums about problems with their phones, after
updates. Even after the second "patched" version of the firmware,
people are reporting issues like poor wireless, short battery life,
phone rebooting, poor WiFi and apps no longer working. Worse still,
some phones have been "bricked"! I rather wait until the firmware has
been fixed properly. If it ain't broke, don't fix! I have a
reliable phone and will not change that for a so called upgrade.
I stopped and deleted the update.Rating:

Reply by Konrad
from UK
on 28th Dec 2014
Finally updated the phone after long wait to 4.3. Phone stable and
everything works as should. Before the update the phone was getting
sluggish even with a bit of clean up. Now the phone is better. The
screen brightness is more intense, but the colours to strong. Even
standard mode leaves the colours strong. Battery life has been
good and the battery is just as strong now. It seems a bit better,
time will tell. After the update I rebooted the phone to make
sure all the updates worked and so far there has been know issues. If
any problems occur, I will update. Overall a good phone that
still does the job.

Reviewed by Ryan
from Wales
on 3rd Jan 2014
I'd noticed over the last couple of months that I was getting quite a
bit of eye strain from my iphone 5 prob because do 99.9% of my web
browsing on my iPad so decided to charge up my S3 and give it a test
run for a couple of days - we'll all I can say is "now" I find the big
screen phones much easier to view so will keep the S3 going till my
iphone contract is up in March and upgrade to the Z1 Rating:

Reviewed by Konrad from UK on 27th Aug 2013
Bought the S3 on sale and after a few days have noticed the great battery life,
which is important to me after the is with my SE Arc S.
When I got the phone set up the WiFi and once I logged into my account, everything
from my old phone - contacts and apps, loaded on to the S3 in minutes. I swapped
my 32gb memory card from the Arc S and installed that into the S3.
The best thing is that this phone has more memory for apps 11gb available with
all apps installed, compared with under 400mb empty in the Arc S. Also with
the bigger ram, it will help with the performance. There are a couple of music
players and it plays well. I use the Sony remote cable with mic to start/stop
with my favourite headset.
The S3 controls are reversed from my previous phone, but I have got used to
that. In a dark room, if you have a dark back ground or image, you can see some
kind of streaking like the lcd has broken. The screen is fine and this phenomenon
can only be seen in some circumstances. i have the the phone in both the flip
cover and silicone case to help protect the phone. Early days but much more
positive compared to the Arc S.
For the money I paid £287.95, it is great value compared to rivals and even
Samsungs own S3 mini is only about £50 cheaper. I paid well over £100 cheaper
than the S4 mini, and any other great mobile. It does not matter about 4G right
now because it is very expensive unless you are on a contract. Will update if
something of note happens with the phone. Rating:

Reply by Konrad from UK on 24th Sep 2013
Further to my initial review I can make further comments. The battery life is
an easy 2 days. The WiFi, Bluetooth, and satnav work well. The camera is fine
though i prefer my Panasonic with 20x zoom. Close up is very good for a phone
camera. This phone came with Android Jelly Bean out the box and works very well.
Unlike the network branded phones, especially on the US, here in the UK the
notification and pull down shortcut can be adjusted. This makes it easy to set
up to how you prefer. I am using a Sony headset cable with a gender changer
with my Sennheiser headphones. I also use a otg usb cable with a card reader
to move files around. This cable also works with my Lenovo 9" tablet. The phone
has been reliable so far and any glitches can be cleared by restarting the phone.
The phone is selling slightly cheaper sim free, so I would say those who are
interested, grab one before they are go.

Reviewed by Marmaduke from UK on 30th Jul 2013
I have owned the s3 for 5 days now. My initial thoughts are mixed.
Positive: Great screen, camera & fast internet.
Negative: Too big to use with one hand comfortably, feels too delicate, the
volume button is too sensitive, too much Samsung bloat as you lose around 4mb
of memory from this & the text message tones are poor & the volume & vibration
is not loud or strong enough. Rating:

Reviewed by Shaun from United Kingdom on 19th Jun 2013
Very impressed with this phone easy to use fast and reliable I have owned samsungs
before but this phone is far the best carnt wait for the next update to jelly
bean 4.2.2 to come out which will almost fetch it up to the S4 standard.Had
this phone since it first come out can not complain at all. Rating:

Reviewed by roger. from israel on 18th May 2013
very.nice.phone.for.the.price.here.in.israel.a.lot.of
people.buy.this.phone.for.its.reliability.and.easy.to.useRating:

Reviewed by Killy from UK on 10th May 2013
I am blessed to own IPhone 5 and S3. The iPhone 5 is the rolls Royce but S3
is the Ferrari, the S3 build quality can't compare to the Apple icon but the
s3 just captivates my attention in ways the IOS device can't.

The Apple is the better phone, mail and text are better on the Apple device
but media is so much better on the Android device and as a play thing the S3
kills the IPhone!

I hate the Internet on the S3 but I love the ease with which the device can
be used for scanning and photo managing.

S3 is a good phone but not great, IPhone is a great handset but oh so boring,
predictable and lacking eye catching ability Rating:

Reviewed by durhamdad54 from england on 5th May 2013
well I have had my sg3 for a week now and I am so far very impressed with it
I started out with the Samsung galaxy s then changed to apple with the 4s which
is a good phone but I feel lacks something so decided to return to android and
because the basics are still the same it was easy to get my head around it I
wanted the sg4 but thought the extra contract monthly fee didn't sway me. so
to the mobile as expected very fast. battery life is what I expected given the
stuff I have running in the background lol video is smooth and pics are superb
music player is loud and speaking of loud I drive a wagon so needed a mob with
loud ringtones ha ha its loud trust me its loud all in all a good quality mob
which will last me a whileRating:

Reviewed by Keith from England on 21st Apr 2013
I decided to go for this phone after being stuck with the boring, none customizable
out of date iPhone 4.
I'm extremely pleased to be out the apple bubble! This phone is brilliant. I'm
absolutely loving it. Great display, fast processor and very customizable.
I have to charge it every day, but this is a minor irritation.
I thoroughly recommend this phone. Rating:

Reviewed by pezzer from england on 19th Apr 2013
got my galaxy s3 on monday 15th i was looking forward to havin been using a
iphone since the 3g version came out and my last was the 4s. every thing was
fine till friday 19th phones going back and getting a replacement handset because
the power button is stuck cant turn phone off or on. other than that phone does
everything is says and more but power button and actual placement were it is
need to be looked at such a shame thats the only gripe i have with the handset
i will still give it four stars Rating:

Reviewed by Scott from England on 25th Mar 2013
Very good!Rating:

Reviewed by Alan from Scotland on 17th Mar 2013
What can I say that hasn't already been said? Had the s2 before this and loved
it, decided to upgrade only out envey and I haven't been disappointed. Slick
performance amazing screen display brilliant camera all in all an amazing device
and if you can get this phone you will never regret it. Unmissable Rating:

Reviewed by Matt from England on 10th Mar 2013
Had this phone for 5 months now. Overall very good. The data reception is particularly
good and regularly gives me 5mb/second when I have a reasonable signal. My only
gripe is that it's a bit quiet when making phone calls. Not noticable when I'm
somewhere quiet but if I'm trying to make a call when walking outside or in
a room with children I strugle to hear. I also have a problem with my micro
sd card which keeps getting corrupted but I'm not sure if his is due to the
phone or the card. However, the size and quality of the screen is outstanding
and when combined with the good data connection this phone keeps me well and
truly entertained.Rating:

Reviewed by Alan from scotland on 8th Mar 2013
Excellent phone loved the s2 and this ha exceeded that. Great screen size great
battery life great customization great performance. You won't be diapointed
Rating:

Reviewed by bobby from england on 20th Feb 2013
having been an i-phone fan for years i decided a change was due. the I-phone
5 isnt that much different from the 4s other than the screen size so i wasnt
interested in getting virtually the same phone. Having seen a couple of mates
with the samsung S3 and being drawn to the quality of the screen i got one on
upgrade. I must say it is so far a fantastic phone, call quality is clear, the
screen is as near perfect as you can get and the apps are the same as I-tunes
but most are free. you can personalize the phone unlike the I-phone and its
great for everyday use. battery lasts a day and if you get caught short for
power, any micro USB connector will charge it. the size is just right and any
bigger would make it too big. must admit that the I-phones are very easy to
use and set up but the samsung can do just about anything when you get the hang
of it. Rating:

Reviewed by lee from england on 20th Feb 2013
had my s3 as an upgrade since august 2012, already on my 3rd one ! 1st phone
froze after 2 months, got stuck on the samsung logo, nothing could be done to
restore it, so eventually got a replacement and that has lasted a couple of
months too, kept switching itself off every 2 hours, done a factory re-set,
had no apps on it except the bog standard ones on the phone and still it kept
switching off and freezing!
hopefully 3rd time lucky, battery is better than my old htc desire hd.
if this 3rd phone doesnt last long, im going back to HTC.Rating:

Reviewed by gerard from scotland on 29th Jan 2013
i've had the phone for over a week now and i find it to be a excellent device.Rating:

Reviewed by jimmy from canada on 23rd Jan 2013
sublime !!!Rating:

Reviewed by Tinkerbelle from United Kingdom on 18th Jan
2013
Excellent. The best phone I have ever owned.Rating:

Reviewed by Steve Richards from england on 17th Jan 2013
Without doubt the best phone ive ever had. I love everything about it from the
large screen to the full custosmisation of the homescreens. Cant wait for the
galaxy s4 to arrive. Had htc in the past and although i prefer sense 4.0 over
touchwiz i much prefer the samsung hardware. Would recommend this phone over
everything else.Rating:

Reviewed by Dawn from UK on 13th Jan 2013
Absolutely love this phone. Upgraded from the s2, which I thought was great.
Gorgeous screen and despite its huge size, is still comfortable to use. However,
the camera on my s2 took better pics (maybe I have a faulty unit). Also, wish
I had gone for the lte version for the extra ram. As I fill the phone with apps,noticing
occasional lag and homscreen redrawing coming out of apps. Look forward to the
S4. Highly recommend this phone. Amazing. Rating:

Reviewed by mobilereview from India on 10th Jan 2013
Samsung Galaxy S3 is incredible phone with all latest application and technology
configuration.

Samsung Galaxy S3 leading the mobile phone market with its best features and
functionality. You can not compare it with any other mobile phone in case of
technologies, features and costing.Rating:

Reviewed by Ben from UK on 23rd Dec 2012
I've had the s3 for a couple of months now and find I'm becoming less enamoured
of it.

At first I was wowed by the screen and functionality. But as time has gone on
a couple of really annoying glitches have started to rear their heads.

First. It has slowed down a lot since new. I'm fanatical about closing unused
apps but the system is getting more and more bloated. I have just over 800mb
user available ram and the system uses close to 500 mb of that. I clear the
memory and it goes down to about 300 mb used but quickly rises again. I reset
a few times which solves it for about a week but then creeps back up again.
And a phone that requires a reset every few weeks isn't fit for purpose.

Second. Apps keep on crashing. To resolve I have to delete and reinstall the
apps that crash. Annoying!!

Third. I have an issue with setting up my email. When I first set up it syncs
fine but subsequent syncs say there was a connection error. An email to Samsung
garnered the uninterested response that its my email account that's at fault.
But it works fine on my galaxy pro and my iPhone so I know it's not my account.
A quick google search shows I'm not the only one experiencing these issues.

So much for this being a super phone. It can't even get the basics right.

It's a shame because I had an s2 for a while and that had none of these issues.

The s3 would be a great phone but for these issues. And being told by Samsung
that there are no issues only serves to put me off Samsung for my next phone.
Rating:

Reply by Mark from UK on 27th Dec 2012
ben, it isnt a Samsung problem regarding your email, I have a HTC, and experience
same problem, and it was down to hotmail itself with me..

Reply by Ben from UK on 31st Dec 2012
Mark, Thanks for your reply. Turns out it was the phone but it was faulty. A
friend with an s3 was experiencing none of the issues I was having so I took
it back this week. I was given a replacement and email is working fine on this
new one. All the apps that were crashing are now running fine on my new s3 too
so must have had a faulty processor. It's working like a dream now and my faith
is restored. :-)

Reviewed by Rob from England on 14th Dec 2012
I've had this phone a month now coming from a Nokia C7. First I had the LTE
4G version and now the 3G version. I returned the LTE version as I found the
battery life awful, it would struggle to last 12 hours with minimal use and
5 hours with gaming etc. (I understand this is due to the 4G antenna). Other
than that I find the phone great. The 3G version's battery life however is fantastic
and can last a day with normal use and gaming. Other than that I find the phone
great.

I was in two minds between the IPhone 5 and Galaxy S3. After using many friends
IPhone 4s and some 5's I found there wasn't many differences between the 4s
and 5, also the price of the phone wasn't worth it, also many apps which are
free on android you have to pay for on ITunes. I picked the Galaxy in the end
and I'm pleased with my choice. After getting used to it, I find it easy to
use although the IPhone and IOS system is still easier and simpler to use. The
phone is slightly too large and I feel that phones should get no bigger as 4.8
inches feels already big, and just about manageable in one hand. The phone does
everything well, such as texting, calls, maps, internet, apps etc. Little things
such as been able to Bluetooth to other phones, the notification light, notifications
bar, memory card slot and micro USB charger improves user experience and makes
it easier to use coming from different phones and platforms. I do feel that
there is sometimes too much customisation in some categories which make setting
up the phone confusing but once the phone is still very simple to use. So far
I've had no problems worth noting. I would avoid the getting the 4G version
at the moment unless you live in a 4G city and will get a 4G contract, otherwise
the compromise with battery life is just too big to make it viable.

One frustrating note is that I'm on Orange (EE) and I still haven't received
the android update to Jelly Bean. The LTE version came with Jelly Bean which
is an improvement over the previous android software. But as of yet it still
hasn't been released on the 3G version which is a shame.

Still a fantastic phone worth considering!Rating:

Reviewed by Tim from England on 7th Dec 2012
I went from iOS (3, 3G and then 4) to Android (HTC Desire, One X, SGS2, Nexus
and then SGS3). I thought the SGS3 was a cracking phone but it was too large.
As a phone the only fault was the call quality. Simply too quiet and the call
quality wasn't the greatest. I'm back to iOS (using the 3) and the call quality
is much superior. I'm coming back to iOS and when work is sorted will go for
the 4S and my trusty iPad. Rating:

Reviewed by Who knows from Who knows on 14th Nov 2012
Galaxy s3 is an ok phone. Havin come from an iPhone 4s I thought the larger
screen would be great, i actually prefer the 3.5" screen on the iPhone. I can
use it completely one handed unlike the s3. My other negative about the s3 is
the allshare cast function. Having bought the allshare cast dongle and using
it a lot i found films stuttered and were jerky. Not quite what was promised
when purchased.

I have returned the s3 and got another 4s. Why didn't I get the 5, well because
the phone doesnt warrant the price. Rating:

Reviewed by Ryan from Wales on 11th Nov 2012
Had my S3 in pebble blue for a few days and to call this phone perfect would
be an understatement it is simply magnificent everything about it is just right
I'm a fan of iPhones but next to this well it's like chalk and cheese obviously
the apps on Google Play aren't as good as on ITunes but personally I just stick
to the basics so its no real problem so that's an Android phone and an Apple
tablet which should make me a dead cert for the Nobel Peace Prize lolRating:

Reply by Ryan from Wales on 15th Nov 2012
Update - Sadly my S3 fell and broke as I was getting out of my car last night
- this was by no means a big drop about 2 feet at most I was fully aware of
the lesser build quality when buying it but IMOafter such a small drop then
to brake completely is absurd
I've had iPhones withstand bigger falls than that in the past which have been
accidental of course I've arranged for a replacement in white and I'm still
a huge fan of the phones features its such a shame that its built like a house
on sand

Reviewed by lm1980 from UK on 28th Oct 2012
Update

Having had the phone for 5 days and heavily using/playing with it and installing
a custom ROM the phone is quite amazing. Can't find anything negative to say.
Don't think I'll be returning to any iPhone. Android/Samsung rock.

With this custom ROM and a different launcher the phone not only looks great
but is super fast. Battery life has improved as I've got rid of loads of the
stock apps.

Buy this phone with confidence.Rating:

Reviewed by unknown from uk on 26th Oct 2012
I've had the galaxy s3 for while now. Great phone in my opinion. Rating:

Reviewed by Gordon from SouthAfrica on 25th Oct 2012
I cannot believe the remark the battery can last you half a day, I did not pay
all this money to run the phone with most of the stuff turned off I could use
a simple $20 Nokia, this is a disgrace that Samsung would release a phone like
this with a 2100 battery, My iPhone 4S with all the apps on full last me 2 days,
give us a free more powerful battery Samsung or take all your phones back or
exchange for Note 1, this really sucks and by the way the updates Jelly Bean
software does not help battery life almost at all:-(Rating:

Reply by Andy from South Africa on 12th Dec
2012
I agree with Gordon on the poor battery life of the S3. If you have everything
running in the background the battery will last about a day, which is very poor
for such a high end phone. I guess if Samsung had put a bigger battery in the
phone then it would have become too bulky but why produce such a feature rich
phone that can't run for long without having to visit a charger? Maybe as battery
technology advances things will improve but at the moment, and even with Jelly
Bean installed, I have to turn off quite a few features in order to make my
battery last more than one day!

Reviewed by lm1980 from uk on 23rd Oct 2012
Had iPhones since they came out but have had other phones when I get bored of
the limitations the iphone has. That time came and went today when decided to
trade in my 4s. Wasn't sure which way I was going to go. BlackBerry, android
or back to basics.

Looked at the moto razr maxx. The shop didn't have any in stock though. Looked
at the Sony experia t. But wasnt really impressed. Then came the s3. Ok it isn't
the 4g version but who needs upto 100mbps when the device is still only a smartphone.
100Mbps broadband and a smartphone with WiFi is a better idea.

Been playing around with it now for the past 8 hours and I'm pretty impressed.
Its now setup and running how I want. Battery drain appears a little heavier
than I thought, but its very early days.

At times its not as smooth as the 4s but there are less if not no limitations
to what you can do with it.

For now 5 stars. Rating:

Reviewed by NS from UK on 20th Oct 2012
only had my S3 for a week now so cant really comment on long term use but i
will say there has been no issues with the phone at all so far..It is a fantastic
phone and does so much I am sure it will take me a while to master it compltetly
! I upgraded on three from a HTC wildfire (which i loved) and couldnt decide
between the s3 and oneX. After speaking to friends who had each and also some
independant retailers I went for the s3 and am realy pleased.Size wise, yes
it feels big at first but becuase its so slim and light, it quickly feels natural
to have a big screen I dont think i could go back to a small screen again now..definately
recommend getting this phone.Rating:

Reviewed by Ronnie from Scotland on 20th Oct 2012
I have a Samsung Galaxy S3 and an IPhone 5 and they both have good points and
bad.

The galaxy S notifications/quick switcher is great.
I can quickly switch off Bluetooth etc, change settings much better than the
iPhone.
I had Sbsettings on my old phone after jailbreaking but the Samsung is much
slicker.

Screen-I do like the galaxy S for videos but its not as good as the iPhone for
text.
The iPhone 5 display is sharper and easier to read text.

Internet- No competition here the iPhone is much quicker displays the full site
and pictures
The Galaxy is good but the text is hard to read sometimes and not all images
display correctly.

Apps-The main thing stopping me getting an android phone before was the apps
as I'd spent a bit on some apps on the iPhone (Tomtom mainly) but was pleasantly
surprised that most of the apps I have were available in the play store and
the google maps with navigation is decent.
Although some of the apps are better on the iPhone no doubt there will be updates
to get hand sand functionality. Anyone worrying about apps don't as most are
available and decent

Email-love the built in gmail on the galaxy except it doesn't fill the screen
properly but I think there is an update due. The IPhone email is great as well
and displays everything perfect but I like the fact I can archive and label
easier on the galaxy. I have used the gmail app on the iPhone and its close
to the built in gmail on the galaxy.

Customisation-No contest here galaxy all the way. Brilliant that I can change
the keyboard add widgets etc not much to say about iPhone on this....

Keyboard- Galaxy S3 was a nightmare to start with the predictive text was rubbish
installed perfect keyboard and swift key and I'm much happier. It's still not
as accurate as the iPhone BUT I do prefer the long press to get numbers and
alternative characters.

Size-it is difficult to use with one hand but in the main it's not a problem.
iPhone feels good in one hand and you can do everything one handed.

Overall I like both of them I reach for the galaxy S3 for videos, games and
maps and reach for the iPhone for calls, web, Facebook and photos. Rating:

Reply by Rob from England on 21st Oct 2012
Great review, thank you

Reviewed by waz from uk on 20th Oct 2012
ive had my s3 more then a week and i was using a iphone 4s but this is the top
of the tree of high end phones, mashallah, i really love the size weight functionality,
and the rest, i can say iphone is good this is betterRating:

Reviewed by Stephen from England on 18th Oct 2012
I have recently upgraded to the Samsung Galaxy S3, coming from a HTC Desire,
and I can definitely say without a doubt that the phone is a terrific bit of
kit. You can't really call these things phones anymore. Although 'smartphone'
is the common term, they are really a handheld multifunctional, mobile device.
Except for something like the just released Galaxy Note 2, the S3 has to be
the top Android phone right now and it easily competes with the likes of the
latest IPhone. Although it's not 4G just yet, over the IPhone 5 you get extendable
memory for storage in the form an SD card slot, removable battery, NFC (Near
Field Communication technology) and the Android OS just keeps getting better.
The large screen is of course is one of its main attractions. It's so clear
and bright. Colours are vivid and the definition is superb. One of the gripes
going about seems to be about the S3's build quality. Ok it's not made of tougher
materials like aluminium, such as on the HTC One X, and it is an all plastic
affair and it's really thin. But I can see what Samsung have done here. Given
the size of the phone for that great screen and the hefty rated battery for
all that chip horsepower under the bonnet, Samsung have had to keep the weight
down and I think they have done a good job. With a flip style case, my S3 is
lighter than my HTC Desire with a Flexi sheild case on it. The weight coupled
with the thinness I can say makes it pocket friendly.
In regard to battery life, like with all these devices, the S3 is a power hungry
beast and you can easily drain it in the best part of a day with a lot of usage.
Until battery technology takes a leap forward to stand up to it, I would advise
to keep an additional battery to hand if you are a power user. Another thing
I really like is that it recharges quickly, way quicker than my HTC.
In terms of functionality in the S3, there is a lot to like and it does it all
very well. There are some clever features in there. For me the S3 is does everything
I would really want out of a device like this right now and I can only envisage
upgrading when the next 'big thing' arrives, which for many people will no doubt
be 4G, when it takes off in this country. Overall, the S3 is superb and feature
packed smartphone. You can't go wrong.Rating:

Reviewed by unitysound from england on 18th Oct 2012
To me the samsung galaxy s3 is the best phone at the moment
Iphone is ok but if you want a truely all round phone then this is it
Mainly because apple has fallen way behind in seeing to the
Issues of there handsets but they will get there while samaung and android seem
to be clearly way in front

Gone are battery issues of which have been one main flaw in thia business of
mobile smart phones but even with a screen as big as this all with notice the
improvement as sets a marker for all behind

Memory
Once again android and samsungs main problem was memory internal well that's
totally gone now with sgs3 iv got a 32gb and 64gb memory in mine its like or
replaces a computer and laptop

Feature
Everything up to date is here with yes some gimmicks and some not the point
here is that it does everything to a top standard not matched by any other as
yet

Yes apples looks better in terms of body BUT WERE NOT TALKING ABOUT A WOMEN

SO ITS WHATS INSIDE
Iphone is a good easy to use phone but it can't match serious hardware and serious
software BUT IN THE FUTURE WE WILL SEE IF APPLE CHANGE THERE IDEAS AND STEP
TO THE PLAY AND GIVE THERE LOYAL CUSTOMERS SOMETHING EXTRA FOR THERE MONEY Rating:

Reviewed by Kafu from England on 18th Oct 2012
Only had this a phone for 24 hours after spending hours and days researching
the best value phone online after sending back the hugley over priced and very
overrated I phone 5. Previously had the HTC desire s so was looking really at
the One X or the S3. Everyone kepy telling me to go for the S3 so I did. With
only 24 hours use so most of the apps etc I have not even played with or used
I can safely say I love this phone.
My only concern was the size of the phone. I do like small handsets but once
you get used to the size its great. The screen is fantastic, so clear. My HTC
struggled on web pages and took a while to load pages but his bad boy is on
another level, its so fast.
Use of the phone is different to HTC but thats something I will get used too.
I cannot understand how anyone can own a i phone 5 over this bad boy. Cheaper
as well and streets ahead. Great phone.Rating:

Reviewed by steve from England on 8th Oct 2012
Have always loved android phones but always had HTC, so when I upgraded I wanted
the one x. Went for the s3 and in my opinion made the best choice. Without doubt
the best phone on the market bar none. Much better then that tiny old fashioned
iphone 5. Love everything about it, 10 stars if not more...Rating:

Reviewed by Muhammad Usman from Australia on 7th Oct 2012
since the launch of iphone 5 i've been watching videos and reading comparison
of both phone galaxy s3 and iphone 5, my friend bought iphone and me S3, and
finally i can say i am pretty happy with my choice. its been 3 days using this
phone and loving it. mainly worried about battery upgraded from xperia x10 and
the battery just finished so early but s3 battery so far going very very good.
2nd its really pleased my when i get my hands on s3 whereas iphone size despite
being a bigger looks like to me same as 4s. not much difference. overall i m
fully satisfied with my s3.Rating:

Reviewed by Andy from South Africa on 2nd Oct 2012
I was due for an upgrade on my contract and having been in love with my iPhone
4 for the past two years, I just couldn't decide what to get as a replacement
phone.
I've had a bit of a love hate relationship with my iPhone, I love the solid,
quality feel to the phone, it feels like it's made of a chunk on aluminum but
then there's the restrictions that iTunes places on it.
I therefore thought long and hard about changing to Android. In the end I decided
to give it a go and yesterday received a Galaxy S3.
Straight off I must say that compared to an iPhone the Samsung feels cheap and
not as well put together. Compared to cars the iPhone is a Mercedes and the
Samsung is a Toyota. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as Toyota's are very
capable cars but don't have the same feel of quality as a Mercedes. However
with these two makes of cars there is huge price difference but with the iPhone
and the Samsung, the Samsung actually costs around the same, at least in South
Africa, which makes me wonder why not make it more solid, like an iPhone?
I must admit that the ease of use of the Galaxy's Android system is so much
better than the iPhone's. Once it's connected to your PC via the USB cable it's
just a matter of drag and drop whatever music, movies or photos over to one
of the folders in the Galaxy. It even offers to convert unsupported music or
video formats as it copies! This is a huge improvement over the very restrictive
iPhone/iTunes way of doing things. In fact there are so many features on the
Galaxy that it will probably take a week to get to learn them all.
I would give the Galaxy S3 a 9 out of 10 score, it's just the cheap plastic
feel of it that lets it down; otherwise it would get top marks.
I guess in time I will get used to the plastic feel of the Galaxy, maybe I can
find a case for it that improves this one problem?Rating:

Reply by Gary from Ireland on 29th Oct 2012
I dunno why people complain bout plastic feel of the galaxy S 3 and the quality
of the iphone. I've had 2 iphone and always had them in a case. Same with my
Gs3 so the build quality is irrelevant as far as I'm concerned cos most people
I no put a case on their fone so really. Also the 1st 3 iphone were plastic.

Reviewed by Edward Davis from UK on 1st Oct 2012
Moved from iphone 4s to S3 - traded phone in towards iphone 5 as could not get
used to android. Main issue is the screen; far from scratch resistant and had
hair line scratches within the day of owning. iphone so much more scratch resistant.Rating:

Reply by Phil from UK on 4th Oct 2012
You must've been playing football with it or something then...I've had mine
for almost 5 months and it still looks like polished glass...totally mirror
smooth. It's toughened Gorilla Glass so you must have had your pockets lined
with sandpaper or something....(or, more likely, are an Apple FB trying to downgrade
the rating of the phone!!) ;-)

Reply by Edwaed Davis from UK on 4th Oct 2012
Far from FB of Apple as just taken iphone back to store for full refund within
14 days. Not worth £600 must have been a faulty screen as Samsung Store also
provided a full refund

Reviewed by Mark Hulme from UK on 21st Sep 2012
I have had my S3 for 6 month's now. It is a very very good phone. Apart from
2 major flaws. The first One is the Svoice. Which is useless. The second one
which I cannot understand why Samsung have not fixed yet.Is the Texting. Specifically
that you cannot Add Word in the dictionary. Which is ridiculous. I am now telling
people to go for the Iphone.Rating:

Reply by Steve from UK on 23rd Sep 2012
Mark, you must have an early pre-release S3 as it's been available in the UK
for just under 4 months. I find S Voice to be very accurate, but like Siri it's
a bit of a gimmick. If you are using the Samsung keyboard typing in a word adds
it to the dictionary. Better still, install the free Swype Beta keyboard or
another keyboard more suited to your needs. The beauty of Android is the ability
to customise and change rather than being told how it should be by the iPeople.
Perhaps an Iphone would suit your needs better. Hope you enjoy it. :)

Reply by shaft from UK on 29th Sep 2012
Have you tried 3rd party apps? Try Touchpal Keyboard and Handcent SMS....Explore
the Google Play market mate, you may give it 5 stars ;o)

Reviewed by Rich from UK on 20th Sep 2012
Everything about this phone is brilliant except it doesn't include 4G even though
everybody would have you believe that it does.

I would suggest waiting until the Samsung Galaxy S3 LTE is launched before upgrading.Rating:

Reviewed by Steve from England on 18th Sep 2012
I waited until the iPhone 5 was announced until deciding which phone to upgrade
to from my iPhone 4.
When the specs of the iPhone 5 came to light I decided it was time for a change,
hence my SGS3!
There's a bit of a learning curve when moving away from iOS, but once you get
to grips with it, this is a fantastic phone.
Battery drain was a bit of a problem to start with, until I learned to make
sure no apps were running in the background.
Otherwise, it's been amazing. Highly recommended.Rating:

Reviewed by Paul Stringer from England on 18th Sep 2012
Upgraded from iPhone 4 and I love it!

Wasn't sure whether to wait for iPhone 5 but glad I didn't because it's underwhelming
to say the least. Rating:

Reviewed by MT from UK on 10th Sep 2012
Had this phone just over a week so can't comment on how it works over time etc.
I can however give my initial thoughts.

Firstly, to get the bad point out of the way, I had an issue with the screen
lock not locking automatically after being set to, screen staying on after turning
off charger and smart stay not working. On reading forums this appears to be
a common issue but I got an exchange through my network and all seems good.
Now that smart stay is working properly I find it a really useful feature.

Now onto the phone itself, so far I am very impressed. The screen is awesome
which was the main reason I went for it in the end. Now before any apple fanboys
read this review, I did consider the 4s but the Samsung far outdid this handset.
I have an iPad which I love but to have that on a smaller scale in my pocket
just didn't appeal and the smaller screen compared to the samsung was also a
bad point.

I had a nexus one prior to the s3 and this phone has taken android to the next
level. The smoothness is great, touch whizz I find a friendly system, a few
points I don't like but these aren't worth mentioning as you get those wit any
handsets. S-voice, whilst not great, I find it useful for getting the weather
and setting alarms. Most of the time it hears me correctly and on comparing
it to friends 4s, is very close to Siri in its effectiveness.

The usability of the handset takes a bit of getting used to due to size but
once you get used to it then it is no problm and for browsing/texting/taking
photos and using apps and the big screen soon comes into its own.

The only real grip I have found so far is the stock keyboard which I find awkward
with the way it auto corrects. This was quickly fixed with an app from the play
store which has made typing a breeze.

I also find that google maps works far better on the s3 than on any other android
phone I have used ( probably due to the power of the processor) but seeing as
I use maps often it is another big fat tick in the box.

I am tired of reading reviews that state " apple is the best" or "droid is the
best" without any evidence to back this up. I have had experience of both and
can say from personal preference that the s3 is the best. From a tech point
of view, it's hard to better the s3 at the moment.

If you want a user friendly phone with a big screen that's great for browsing/
apps then this is the one. If you find yourself wanting to be like the masses
and want a handset because it has a big shiny apple on the back without considering
what's inside then the 4s is for you.

I would have no hesitation in suggesting the s3 to anyone.Rating:

Reviewed by David from U.K. on 9th Sep 2012
My wife has the galaxy s2 and when I had set the device up with her SIM card
and played about with phone I was very impressed. I had at the time an iPhone
4s but I decided to sell that and go for the galaxy s3.
At the time of writing this I have had the phone only 3 days and I'm finding
it hard to put the phone down it it is just a great phone there are tons of
apps most of the apps I used on iPhone are available to download to this device.
I charge phone every night just the same as I did with iPhone.
The only thing I am concerned about is how hot the device becomes when being
used my wife's s2 has this same issue.
Overall I am very pleased with this phone and this website is spot on when coming
to choose your next mobile phone.Rating:

Reviewed by lee from englqnd on 8th Sep 2012
NOW WE ARE TALKING

FOR THE TIME (YEAR) AND CURRENT TECHNOLOGY

THIS IS THE BEST PHONE ON THE MARKET BAR NONE

WARNING
IF YOU JUST WANT A PHONE TO PHONE DONT GET THIS JUST GET A PHONE

IF YOU FULLY KNOW WHAT YEAR IT IS AND ARE IN TO TECH (HEAVY USER)

YOU CANT GO WRONG

SUPER BIT OF KIT Rating:

Reviewed by Nick from England on 7th Sep 2012
I've had my S3 for a couple of weeks now and on a whole I think it's excellent
phone. Battery easily lasts the whole day with good use and operates smoother
than the OneX. One disappointment though is the the supposed "Gorilla glass
2". Without being dropped once, other objects in pocket or even being laid down
screen first, somehow I already have several scratches. The only thing I can
imagine is that it has been scratched as I slide it into my pocket. My two year
old HTC Desire on the other hand HAS been dropped, laid down screen first etc.
and actually has less scratches.

More like "trophy cabinet glass"
Be warned, buy a screen protector!!Rating:

Reviewed by Dave from Australia on 3rd Sep 2012
Had this phone for about 6 weeks and love everything about it except for the
poor signal.Struggle to get reception in places i have never had trouble with
before.If not for this problem i would say this phone was perfect.I can put
my sim card in another phone and get good reception so i know the issue is with
the S3.Rating:

Reviewed by Michael from UK on 1st Sep 2012
I do not like this phone at all.
I fell out of my pocket on concrete floor and now I have nice brocken screen.
Going back to shop to claim new one.Rating:

Reply by Frank from UK on 3rd Sep 2012
Really? It fell out of your pocket onto a concrete floor and you are going to
claim for a new one? Guess Samsung could be at fault for making a phone that
jumps out of peoples pockets. Is that why you don't like it?

Reply by Mark from Uk on 3rd Sep 2012
How is this an things to do with the actual phone,? Come on editors how can
you allow this as genuine review of a handset?

Reply by Gary from UK on 8th Sep 2012
I can't believe you can give a bad review for your own error. Whether you had
a new or old phone would probably have been the same result! Final thought,
manufacturers and shops increase there product prices based on people like you
from their own incompetence, taking damaged products back (for potentially free
replacement) which we pay for!!

Reply by Bob from The real world on 8th Sep
2012
I know what this OP means. My iPhone fell onto a tiled floor and smashed so
iPhones are rubbish. My wifes Nokia fell into the sink and stopped working so
clearly they are rubbish. My mates Samsung got stolen so they are the worst.

Reply by Michael from Islee of Man on 19th
Sep 2012
I do think that they should work on making the screens more resistant to being
dropped as this can happpen to anyone. It can cost a lot to replace thes screens.
I think the old phones were more resistant to being dropped so why is it not
the case regarding smart phones etc

Reply by DA from UK on 9th Oct 2012
This is a joke right ?? Grow up and accept responsibility for your own mistakes,
the world already has too many scroungers who have to blame everything on someone
else. You dropped it, you broke it, you are responsible.

Reply by Mobile Phones UK from UK on 9th Oct
2012
OK, let's stop this thread now. I think that everything that can be said has
been said.

Reviewed by Merv from U.k on 21st Aug 2012
I have now had my Samsung s3 for couple of weeks having problems with Bluetooth
connects to car make calls fine receiving calls phone rings. Answer phone no
connection to person calling can,t hear them they can,t hear me seems to be
fault in the system . I can,t live with that Bluetooth in car is built in I
am at the stage of swapping the Samsung. Because of this problem I read in reviews.
That their seems to be problems relating to different bluetooth. Spec. Compatible
issues. It is a great shame because it is a very good phone Rating:

Reviewed by Ferdie from Philippines on 18th Aug 2012
Excellent features with top of the line specs. Design wise? Watch: youtube.com/watch?v=-7uL-DON5FU
Screen is just enough for me. Not too large, yet fascinating. A state-of-the-art
smartphone created for the need of many people. This is what I've been searching
for.
SGS III, your just simply the best! =)Rating:

Reviewed by Merv from England on 15th Aug 2012
Hi I have had 3GS. For quite a while and got quite concerned by how. Many people
said I tried to get you and you were out of service . So I went to all the networks
and got new sim cards from them all ever one was worse than my current network
. So I took the plunge and bought Samsung s3. I can't. Quite make my mind up
it works I make calls and receive them if you set driving mode it even talks
to you quite novel . Emails okay still finding my way around battery lasting
all day with quite a lot left at the end of the day . I can,t fault Samsung.
I was thinking of holding out for next iPhone but I have my reservations on
that. Sony involvement ? I feel the Samsung. Is as good as you can expect from
a smart phone untill. Doctor Spock. Says beam me up. Only reason. I don,t give
5 * is because I am an apple geek the transformation. To android. Is confusing
but interesting
Interesting had customer in my car same network no reception. And I had reception
interesting Rating:

Reviewed by Ron from UK on 13th Aug 2012
I opted to upgrade to this and was confident I'd made the right choice, I've
never used Samsung before but had heard good things. Sadly I returned it, I
just couldn't get on with the design of this phone, or the saturated colours
on the screen. To me this is a seriously ugly phone which is also too big for
comfort. Performance seemed good however, although signal left a lot to be desired.
If the design and screen aren't a problem for you then the phone should be an
excellent choice. The camera on this is seriously good, that was one major plus
at least.Rating:

Reply by Jon from England on 16th Aug 2012
There are four settings for the screen which can take away the colour saturation
if that is your problem. The size is not a problem for me, and the screen is
way better than the iPhone, and a lot of my friend have one of them and agree.

Reply by Ryan from uk on 29th Sep 2012
I cant believe some people are moaning about things that given some investigation
can be adjusted at the touch of a button.

Reply by Ron from UK on 11th Oct 2012
I don't like any of the settings, and I don't like the size.

Reviewed by eva from england on 12th Aug 2012
Had my GS3 for 2 weeks now and I love it. Very easy to use. The only problem
so far Is that I can't see the screen at all in bright sunlight. This made answering
phone calls impossible. Rating:

Reply by Tony from England on 2nd Sep 2012
The is a setting for using the phone out side in the sunlight

Reviewed by Raymond from Scotland on 6th Aug 2012
Had my GS3 for a week now and I can honestly say, having tried the main rivals,
this is the best phone on the market without question. The screen is incredible,
the processor lightning-fast and, although at first it seems quite large, you
get used to the increased size very quickly. I have only managed to go through
a fraction of the things this phone can do, but it seems to do everything with
a smoothness that belies it's dimensions.

In fact, the GS3 isn't a phone...it's a beautifully crafted, cutting edge piece
of engineering excellence!

Go get one!!!Rating:

Reviewed by rob from uk on 6th Aug 2012
its a great phone but be warned the screen breaks easy. mine fell and the screen
shattered cost of new samsung screen of ebay was 154 pounds i know you shouldnt
let them fall but its a cert at some stage yours will get knocks no matter how
careful you are. i had the galaxy 2 and it fell i few times and never shattered.
screen looks like glass so very easy broke. i was lucky enough to be able to
replace my screen just followed a great video on youtube. it has made the phone
very expensive having to shell out another 154 for new screen. i had the htc
one x and its screen was much clearer than the galaxy 3 but does have flexing
and screen shiver thats why i got rid of the htc. if htc ever sort out there
screen issues i would ditch samsung right away as the htc is in many whys better.
dont get me wrong the samsung is a great phone but just isnt as good as you
would expect, and folks be warned dont let your galaxy 3 fall or you could be
out a few poundsRating:

Reviewed by gary from england on 5th Aug 2012
bought it to replace my iphone 4s
kept it 5 days then got rid it was slow kept re-booting
gon back to my iphone 4sRating:

Reply by Jon from England on 13th Oct 2012
You never had one,so stop pretending.....

Reviewed by Mark from England on 3rd Aug 2012
Sorry to say i am not sold by the S3, i find it not easy to text of and feels
cheap in my hand and was sat with my friend on Sunday when it drop his from
knee height from sitting down and the whole screen shattered maybe a fault that
follows the i phone 4...The htc seem to be better build quailty i just think
its all down to your own personal choice compared which is totally better its
what is going to suit you moreRating:

Reply by rob from uk on 6th Aug 2012
mine fell and the screen also shattered looks like its made of hard glass so
easy broke. i bought a screen of ebay for 154 and followed a youtube video and
replaced it my self not to difficult to do but you need to be careful

Reviewed by Garry Morgan from U.K. on 30th Jul 2012
Had this phone for a week now after owning g a HTC Desire for two years. If
you're used to the Android system the phone doesn't seem so amazing at first.
However with use you become amazed with the sheer speed of the processor. One
of my apps took minutes to lock onto satellites. With this phone it locks in
seconds... the huge screen makes such a difference and video playback is just
stunning. You will never go back to a smaller screen.
The battery is another plus. I'm getting two days use from a full charge after
taking time to fully charge and recharge the battery a few times to establish
a healthy battery memory. Don't like the phone though. After the HTC it is clumsy
as you have to hit several buttons to make calls from some kf the screens. Which
is the only quibble I have with this phone. Also, because of the huge internal
memory I ha e been able to add an amazing number of apps which is very welcome
after the restricted memory of the HTC.
The camera is just awesome. It's that quick I still find myself checking it
took the shot. No waiting around with this phone and the quality is stupendous.
All in all a very impressive phone made even better with additional memory.Rating:

Reply by David from dca860@ntlworld.com on
22nd Sep 2012
GPS lock is nothing whatsoever to do with the processor power. It is to do with
the quality of th received and more to the point, the availability of passing
satellites at the moment you decide to switch it on!

Reply by Ryan from uk on 29th Sep 2012
From one HTC desire owner to another,and for the same amount of time, i cant
wait to get this phone. I totally agree with the memory and battery problems
of the HTC, been so close to throwing up against the wall.! Shame because i
like the other features. I have lots of friends who have this s3 and they have
not had any problems. I would of thought that being a guy with a bunch of bananas
for hands i would get on with the large lay out, will have to see! I will def
have to write my own review very soon

Reviewed by janette from United Kingdon on 29th Jul 2012
This phone is great only two problems which are annoying the battery needs charging
everyday.. and the other is that if i turn all notifications off then i dont
receive text messages notification. how can i not have all night the phone alerting
me of emails. etc when all i want it to do is notify my of a text otherwise
its a marvelous phone oh and one other note what is the best resolution for
the camera when putting pictures through email via the phone as previously they
wont go says it it too big.
thanksRating:

Reply by aw from uk on 31st Jul 2012
To fix the email alerts go into your email settings go to ringtone notification
and select silent

Reviewed by Mark from uk on 23rd Jul 2012
I've had this phone for a few weeks but unfortunatelt i sold it, i found the
screen way too sensitive, i did't like the tint to the screen personally i think
the htc one x and iphone 4s have a much better screen.I didnt find the speaker
quality to be that great, after filming at a local gig whilst the picture quality
is good the sound is completely trashed and distorted whilst on the iphone 4
its absolutely perfect, maybe someone can explaint to me why that would be.
lastly i drop the phone a number of times as its very light and slippery. On
the plus side it is super quick Rating:

Reviewed by Robert from Australia on 18th Jul 2012
I really do love this phone...I've had it for one month and it really shines
above the last 2 Galaxy S I have owned....well...except for one problem....it
has been at the authorised repair centre for just on 1x week now and they still
have not fixed the microphone problem that has been reported by many of my fellow
owners. I called Samsung and after 2x days am still waiting for a call back
to replace the phone...I know why they haven't called me back...that is because
I am sure all the phones are likely to have this same problem (soon or into
the near future) and they are struggling to find a fix...I joked to my wife
that I should threaten them with jumping ship to apple (lol) just kidding! (lol)
but seriously this is a huge drama...It really is an excellent phone! but an
excellent phone with a HUGE problem...so how many stars can i offer? ummmm....in
the meantime i am using a Nokia 6200 (in its day a superb phone)...however it
is not a "young" phone anymore and it sounds as good as my S3 is bad (lol) i
am lost and really don't know how long before i will get it back...so i have
given 2 stars....otherwise it would be a HUGE 10 stars! mmmmm you are right...didn't
make me feel any better...a generous 2 stars.........Rating:

Reviewed by david mcdermott from uk on 17th Jul 2012
no waffle just pure facts this phone is top of the pops.
Eat my shorts i phone luvvers with 2 year contracts LMFAO Rating:

Reviewed by Hilary from United Kingdom on 12th Jul 2012
This phone is easy to use, has a better battery life than my HTC Desire and
lots of useful features. However, the screen on my S3 is very dim when I browse
the internet, despite turning up brightness to full and turning off power saving
option. I can hardly see Facebook and all internet screens are far too dim.
When I press the home button the screen jumps to a brighter (correct) screen
for a split second, but does not maintain this. Also, the charging indicator
light only works intermitently, which is very annoying - yes, I have got that
option enabled! In theory, a great phone, but with all these problems I'm very
disappointed indeed. it's going back to the shop.Rating:

Reply by Fraser from Scotland on 23rd Jul
2012
Hilary regarding browser screen dimming. Mine did same, was bright when you
navigate but then immediately dimmed so could hardly see screen. Solution for
me was when in the browser on a webpage press menu and go to ďbrightness
and coloursď ,untick the automatic brightness box, then just set slider
to your preferred level. This should hopefully sort it. Cheers

Reviewed by Fred from UK on 8th Jul 2012
I used quite few Android OS mobile phones in the past. Samsung Galaxy S3 is
taking Android OS to the next stage.
Amazing device, super fast, screen quality outstanding, battery life superb.
Well Done Samsung!Rating:

Reviewed by bmc from UK on 5th Jul 2012
S3 user for 3 weeks now, had the HTC Sensation and HTC Desire before this.Super
phone and does all the gadgety things well. Compared to the Sensation I do miss
the beauty of the HTC Sense and on using the S3 as a phone the sense feels better
to operate eg on the S3 you press the phone button the phone is ready to call
but the call log doe not automatically display, you have to press another button.
Also when you dial the number of some one who you dial often, the S3 does not
automatically bring up the last person that you have dialed. The HTC software
I thought was more polished, however the S3 has speed on it side.....so fast...
I just get a full days use from 7.30am to 9.30pm and carry a spare battery with
me! Don't know how others can get a day and a half of usage with their S3!
I would have chosen the HTC X one as I am used to their kits, but the lack of
a SD card slot and changable battery meant that I had to give the S3 a shot.
Love the videos when you can see all videos playing together.Camera is super
sharp and video I must admit I would have perferred a dedicated camera shutter
button than to press the screen..
Overall happy to change across from the HTC camp to Samsung.Rating:

Reviewed by Pete Wyatt from United Kingdom on 3rd Jul
2012
The iphone has had it's day. The Galaxy 3 rocks in all departments, well done
Samsung.Rating:

Reply by clive from uk on 18th Jul 2012
Of course it has. No one will ever buy a single iphone again! It all depends
what you want a phone to do Pete. If you want a tech phone for someone who's
cant be bothered to spend a month learning the os then you can't beat an iphone.
If you need to launch a few space ships while on the move and like having to
spend half your life downloading patches etc to sync a phone to you pc then
android wins everytime. :-)

Reviewed by GA from UK on 2nd Jul 2012
Had the phone for over a week now and moderately pleased. It's very fast, good
looking and in some ways a good upgrade from the S2 - I don't find it evolutionary
but it does have incremental improvements. A lot of the selling points were
a bit gimicky and probably in all realism wont be used extensively. One very
disappointing element is the call quality - it drops calls left and right consistently
- around 8-9 times over a 40 minute car ride (same journey maybe 1 drop on my
S2). What good is the Svoice and stay awake function if I can't make calls consistently.
It also needs an extended battery asap - I make 24 hours just with moderate
use. Not as good as my S2 with extended battery by far. I'd also say it's probably
a little too big to be comfortable in the hand although the large screen is
a bonus for internet. Functionality it doesnt seem as polished as the S2 with
minor niggles on apps etc, hope that will be solved in software update. Overall
I feel alittle let down and the call issue means I will probably have to replace
the phone (with what is the hard part). Rating:

Reviewed by Adie T from UK on 1st Jul 2012
Waited for the S3 rather than plum for the HTC One X. Ten days and its going
back as earphones won't plug in (tried three pairs, same result). Not an uncommon
problem it seems and the 3 store was quick to offer a replacement. Given the
millions spent on R&D and then marketing I must say I'm disappointed to have
a simple hardware problem.

Now the good stuff. Super fast , great display (size was a concern but it fits
in the pocket, is thin and lighter), battery life is better than my last HTC
Desire (day and a half to 2 days use), the SD slot which can take a 64gb card
(take note HTC etc), camera's superb (no quality issues on mine) and it looks
awesome in pebble blue.

So, rated 3/5 (good) because for a £500 phone you'd expect the hardware to work
out of the box. Rating:

Reviewed by Peter K from Ireland on 25th Jun 2012
A really excellent phone, full of all the features and functionality anyone
could want. Absolutely lovely to use, brilliant screen, fast fast processor.
But .... the camera on mine produces very disappointing images, usually suffering
from camera lens flare, excessive white haze, and unattractive images.

First of all I blamed the phone which produces markedly poorer images than my
olf Galaxy S2. But after an update of the S2 to the latest ICS Android version,
the S2 now produces equally 'flared' images. So there's a suspicion that the
software may be the issue not the camera.

Mine is going back to Samsung tomorrow for investigation. Rating:

Reply by john from uk on 27th Jun 2012
my camera is first class excellent images you must have a faulty one. thats
one thing about the s3 its camera is as good as the s2 if not better

Reply by Dave from Australia on 27th Jun 2012
Have the same problem with my S3 , had the HTC ONE X for about a month before
i got S3 and while I do prefer the S3 over the ONE X I miss the screen and the
camera of the ONE X. What i do not understand is all the reviews that rate the
S3 camera over the ONE X , I have both phones and can not take a photo on the
S3 that is as good let alone better than what I can get with the ONE X.

Reviewed by Mr Ed. from New Zealand on 23rd Jun 2012
Upgraded from the S2 to the S3 wow!!! What a wonderful piece of technology.Everything
about the S3 is great.Go Samsung Go..Rating:

Reviewed by william from uk on 23rd Jun 2012
great phone, if you have used the htc one x you will clearly see the one x has
the better screen. the s3 screen is great but not as good thats where the s3
falls down havin said that its still a good phone, battery life is good just
depends how you use it, samsung cut corners with the screen Super AMOLED plus
would have been much better, S Voice is just a gimmick doesnt work very well,
i sold my htc one x and bought the s3 and to be honest the one x is just as
good if you look at the screen then the one x is the better phone there both
very fast phones and you would be happy with either, Rating:

Reviewed by Hairymuffin from UK on 23rd Jun 2012
Been using this phone for a couple of weeks now. Here's what I found:

Pros:
Lightning quick interface
Internet browsing is superquick
Luscious, super sharp screen with wide viewing angle(at least when not in direct
sunlight)
Expandable memory so you're not limited to the phones capacity
Battery life is better than expected (moderate use only need to charge once
every 2 days)
Great camera with a very high intensity flash
Ice Cream Sandwich which is a huge improvement over previous Android versions

Cons:
Home button is a bit unresponsive and doesn't feel very tactile
Power button is located in daft position on right hand side (I frequently press
by accident when holding the phone in landscape)
Certain unrefined apps seem to cause slight lag
Screen becomes unviewable even in moderate sunlight
Not really any apps available to really take advantage of all that processing
power
A bit too big, like carrying a mini tablet around
S-Voice is gimmicky as it doesn't work very well

All in all very satisfied and a definite upgrade from my old 3GS. For ease of
use and intuitiveness, iOS has always been unbeatable, but with the new version
of Android (ICS), usuability has improved massively. If you like to customise
your phone's interface (like I do), Android is the only way to go.Rating:

Reviewed by Abu Yusef from UK on 22nd Jun 2012
Initially had the HTC One X (see my review for that !) but after a month exchanged
it for SGS3. Comparing the 2 phones i will say i ever so slightly prefer the
HTC's screen, build and htc sense over touch wiz.As a complete package though
the SGS3 ,in my opinion, is by far the better phone.
The reception/GPS is far superior. The browser seems more fluid, it has a louder
speaker,battery life is slightly better and the HTC seemed to have a few little
bugs where as the SGS3 has none (to my knowledge!)

When you sign up for a dreaded 2 year contract you have to make sure that really
like your phone and that you will be happy with it for 2 years. Without a shadow
of a doubt the SGS3 is the best phone ive ever had and definatly made the right
decision swapping the One X for this. Rating:

Reviewed by Stephen from Cyprus on 22nd Jun 2012
I just got this phone after having Iphone 4 / HTC Sensation XE...its by far
the best smartphone i have ever used!!! It is as smart as it gets!Rating:

Reviewed by trevor from n ireland on 22nd Jun 2012
had my s 3 for a few weeks now, and have to say its faultless , samsung have
created something amazing ,naturally everyone will compare with an i phone ,
but in reality its no competition , the s 3 is light years ahead , buy this
phoneRating:

Reviewed by Michael G from UK on 21st Jun 2012
Had the phone a week and a half so far and can't find a single thing to moan
about... Been an Android user since the Desire, then owned the Sensation and
now the GS3.

By far the best phone I've owned, lightning quick and with a great screen (I've
had colleagues and friends comment how the display looks like a photo plastered
to a demo handset!).

The battery is a vast improvement over previous smartphones I've owned. I haven't
had a single minute of "battery anxiety" with the Samsung and can easily make
a day and half before I get to about 10-15% remaining!

I was torn between this, the HTC One X (which I've heard is a close runner to
this) and the iPhone 4S... In the end the 4S is long overdue an update due to
the relatively small screen so I decided against it... I chose the GS3 mainly
due to the SD card slot, removable battery and the larger battery (I doubt anyone
buying one would be dissapointed with it though)..

All in all I can only recommend the GS3 as the most impressive phone I've ever
owned, what are you waiting for?Rating:

Reviewed by David Whidden from fordingbridge on 20th Jun
2012
Nice, had this phone a week now, beats the s2 bye a mile, dont get me wrong
the s2 is a good mobile but the s3 is top class,the battery lasts me easy 2
days with loads of use,like the larger screen due to ageing eye sight!Warning
if you are thinking of rooting be carefull,i did and all worked ok but the phone
had a mind of its own so had to bet back to a stock rom, nightmare. one thing
to be a bit picky with is i need to use 2 hands to use, this mainly due to the
rounded sides but overall i think its the best smartphone on the market today
Rating:

Reviewed by Mark F from London, England on 17th Jun 2012
I bought this phone from the O2 store in Watford this afternoon but unfortunately
its going back tomorrow. I upgraded from a Galaxy S, but for some reason the
new phone will not import my contacts. Its fine until you try to import them,
but as soon as you do an error screen comes up saying "Unfortunately Touchwiz
home has stopped" - I've been onto the O2 gurus and performed about 15 factory
resets but nothing has worked. Maybe I just have a bad phone - I'll keep you
posted Rating:

Reply by Mark from London on 18th Jun 2012
Following on from my last post I received a full refund from O2 on the phone.
Maybe mine was just the odd faulty one that happens every so often, unfortunately
its made me think twice about going for the S3 in the near future. Its a shame
because it looked like it could have been really good if I'd been able to get
it to function properly.

Reply by john from scotland on 18th Jun 2012
so you gave it 1 star because of a minor software problem?

Reply by David from UK on 25th Jun 2012
What a nonsense review! Either you had a unlucky phone (so change it!) or you
haven't imported contacts properly as if you had a synchronised gmail account
(as most android users have), as soon as you log in, it downloads them all.
Try reading a manual before trashing a top bit of kit.

Reviewed by Dave from Ireland on 17th Jun 2012
Great phone, had this about 2 weeks now replacing my Iphone 3gs. Not sure of
all the features yet but so far it's fantastic. Bit on the large size but much
easier to see the internet and still fits in the pocket ok. Battery life lasts
about two days with average use so not bad. Camera is excellent also.Rating:

Reviewed by Ianj from UK on 15th Jun 2012
I looked at the G3 in three phone shops and on the face if it, it seems a nice
piece of kit. However, the speaker sounds tinny and thin when playing music
and the cheap plastic back is not helped by the silver band around the edges
being fake metal, it's plastic too.

Although I rather fancy a change from my iphone 4s to Android, in terms of operation
smoothness, quality materials in manufacture the iphone is still a quality piece
of kit. For me, regretably, the G3 has some great points but they dont't make
up for the cheap looking finish. Samsung need to do better ia the price range
the G3 is in. In quality of materials and finish the Galaxy does not come close
to the iphone.Rating:

Reviewed by Chris J from UK on 13th Jun 2012
I've had the S3 just over a week now. Upgraded from an HTC Desire. I absolutely
love it! The battery easily lasts two days of normal usage. Slick interface.
Good camera. And it's a lot better looking in real life than in photos.Rating:

Reviewed by nico from uk on 9th Jun 2012
the best way to sum up the galaxy s3 is to say what
a hammer blow for the mobile market this is.i went from the s2
to this phone having managed not to fall for the nexus which
was pointless and the htc one x which by all accounts is brilliant.
but the s3 is way way better,the battery life is the best ive seen.im still
trying to work out how they have managed to pack
all this brilliance into a very thin body, remarkable.
i would wage a bet that most employees for apple have one of these
in their back pocket but are scared to bring it out for fear of
the sack. Rating:

Reviewed by Luke from UK on 8th Jun 2012
Great phone but have had to take it back for a replacement as the screen had
black blobs on it when it was displaying dark colours! Also the battery life
is very poor so take a charger with you at all times!Rating:

Reply by trevor from n ireland on 15th Jun
2012
battery life is excellent , day and half before charging , and used all apps
and net

Reviewed by Joe from UK on 7th Jun 2012
One word amazing, have had the Original Galaxy S and S2 and the S3 wipes the
floor with both of them. Its lighting fast and has no lag whatsoever. The screen
is super bright and colours and videos are eye catching and stand out! The screen
transitions are so smooth and it is definitely the Phone for 2012. Samsung have
done a brilliant job with the S3 and it feels top quality in every way, if you're
thinking of getting one you won't be sorry!Rating:

Reviewed by peter from uk on 7th Jun 2012
I tried this in a shop. I feels fast but was surprised to see that browsing
the internet doesn't feel as smooth as any of the windows phones out there.
I have the Lumia 710. It is also overcomplicated for the average user. Probably
just great for the computer geek. I think it's a great device but was surprised
that my £200 mobile appears to run faster certain things.Rating:

Reply by mo from enland on 9th Jun 2012
writing a review on the basis of trying in shop????

Reviewed by Tony from UK on 2nd Jun 2012
I took the S3 out with Orange a day after release! Battery life is amazing,
I can get two days out of it with heavy use as I can not put it away! I have
always been an iPhone guy all the way from the first iPhone. Apple just wont
be able to complete with this. S Voice works so much better than Siri too. I
had the HTC One X just before I got the S3 and once again the S3 kills it. I
found that the HTC kept overheating and the battery life was really bad. I would
defiantly recommend this phone.Rating:

Reply by john from uk on 17th Jun 2012
i use it heavy and i mean heavy and it doesnt make it through the whole day.

Reviewed by Fred from UK on 2nd Jun 2012
Got the white one on launch day after been told I would have to wait if I wanted
the blue one. That said the white is lovely.
I have always had iphones upgrading every time fom the iphone 3 through to the
4s and although the iphone is an awesome phone I felt they were falling behind
in features.
(Although jailbreaking helped).
The S3 is superb it is taking me a bit of time to get used to the way it does
things differently but it is worth the effort I am on a unlimited 3UK data plan
use about 35gb a month,using the phone to connect to these with its hotspot
wi-fi tethering (it is superb just turn it on and forget about it unlike the
iphone which I had to connect by bluetooth as wi-fi would disconnct after a
while.
So guys in short I am really pleased and am sure as I get the hang of it this
will turn out to be a good choice to go androidRating:

Reviewed by John B from Ireland on 1st Jun 2012
Ok, up to April I had the 4S, then in May I sold my 4S and bought the HTC One
X then today I upgraded to the Galaxy S3.
Both the HTC one x and the S3 are miles ahead of the 4S so its not fair to make
comparisons on the three however the one x and S3 are both beautiful devices
that I give 5 stars each. Besides all the similar features these phones share
is that the one x feels more solid and quality and the S3 has a richer screen
and a few more gimmicks. Both are truly beautiful devices.

The S3 in white feels really comfortable in the hand and has beautiful curves,
behind the scenes lies the powerhouse quad processors that makes this device
lightening fast. Its pact with gimmicks and features and the S voice is every
bit as good as siri. Truly a great device and worth splashing the cash on.

I could never go back to the small screen of the 4S after the release of the
latest technology from HTC and Samsung.Rating:

Reviewed by Jack from London on 7th May 2012
Went and saw this phone and it is just incredible. I feel that smartphones have
advanced so much over the past two years that it can be very duanting choosing
a phone nowadays. If your looking for a upgrade in the future. This is the phone
to get for its amazing performance. However, if you currently have a good smartphone.
For example I have the s2 model. I dont see a reason in buying this phone as
the technology wont be pushed to its full potential until late into 2013.

Regards this. The screen is very large. People who have previously had blackberries
or iPhones will have a problem getting used to the sheer size of the face but
its razor thickness means you can fit it in your pocket. The battery on this
device is incredible but it needs to be, to compensate for that mighty quad-core
processor along with ICS and all the connectivity options make this phone liquid
like in graphics and multitasking.Rating: